Rail-tie expansion.



H. W. PLEISTERI RML THE EXPANSION. APPLICATION FILE-l) nec.19. i916.

1,295,590. Patented Feb. 25, 1919. v

r 1 sra'rs OFFICE.

HENRY W. PLEISTER, 0F WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY ."B. NEWHALL; HENRY NEWHALL, JR., EXECUTOR OF SAID HENRY B. NEWI-IALL, DECEASED.

RAIL-TIE EXPANSION.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

Original application filed October it, 1915, Serial No. 53,749. Divided and this application filed December 19,

- 1916. Serial No. 137,760, 1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY IV. PLEIs'rER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Westfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Tie Expansions, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the same.

This case is a division of my copending application for rail tie expansion, Ser. No. 53,749, filed October 2, 1915.

My invention relates to a rail tie expansion for securing railroad rails to ties.

It is well known that in'untreated and soft wood ties the common drive spike tears and breaks the fiber of the wood when it is driven into the tie. Such drive spikes do not have a firm engagement, throughout their length, with the fiber of the tie. Traific over the rails, whether the road be curved or straight throws great longitudinal strain upon the spike, which tends to lift it out of its hole in the tie. On curves the spike, in addition to resisting the upward pull of the rail as the rolling load passes over it, also has to resist tremendous lateral strains, which tend to enlarge the hole in which the spike is mounted. Where these lateral and longitudinal strains are thrown upon the spike they render even a new tie unserviceable in a comparatively short time.

With such spikes water rapidly leaks intothe hole, resulting in rotting and deterioration of the already lacerated fiber of the tie. It is well known that track walkers and section gangs are continually driving back such loosened spikes and respiking the ties.

In ties which have been treated with some preservative, as for example, creosote, it has been found that the life of such a tie would be greatly prolonged but for the local deterioration of the tie due to spiking and respiking. It is only on a comparatively small area of the tie that spikes can be applied. Such treated ties are comparatively expensive, and the necessity ofdiscarding them simply because they have become unserviceable from spiking and respiking is a considerable expense in railroad upkeep.

To lengthen the life of such a tie' screw spikes are sometimes used which give a longer life to the tie than the drive spikes.

make such old ties serviceable for a long period.

While I will describe my invention in connection with wood ties, it is to be understood that it, and the claims based thereon, are equally applicable to other forms of ties made of a composition and that the invention and the claims apply equally well where the rails are fastened directly to wood structures, such as stringers, beams, floors, sills, girders and the like."

My invention further relates to such' a rail tie expansion which is simple and inexpensive.

I have shown in the accompanying drawings several illustrative embodiments of my invention, but of course it is'to be understood that my invention is not to be confined simply to the forms illustrated. In these drawings the same reference numerals refer to similar parts.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, transverse, vertical section of my invention, the spike member and screw spike being shown in side elevation; the spike member being partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the spike member shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing my rail tie expansion used with a rail brace;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse, vertical section of Fig. 3, the spike member being partly broken away.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is any form of T-rail held to the tie 2 which is ordinarily wood and which may be treated or untreated with a preservative. In this tie. if it is a new one, I bore a hole 3 preferably at an incline to the surface a of the tie. In this hole I either drop or screw, as the case may be, my rail tie spike member which may be formed in any suitable manner and of any suitable contour, those shown in the drawings, being simply illustrative. In all forms, however, the spike member only contacts with a part of the wall of the hole permitting the rail spike, whether it be a drive spike or a screw spike, to contact with the portions of the hole not in contact with the spike member. I have shown my spike member as being formed of one part which is my preferred construction, it being understood, however, that in all forms of my invention, the spike, whatever its form may be, con-- tacts with some portion of the wall of the tie to expand the" rail tie expansion, at the same time that the spike member contacts with other'portions of the wall of the same hole.

In Fig. 1, the spike member 5 is provided with an open side 6 with which the screw spike 7 contacts at the same time as it contacts with the wall 8 in the tie 2.

Preferably, though not necessarily,- the open side 6 of the spike member 5 is provided with interrupted screw threads 10 to cooperate with the male threads 11 upon the screw spike 7. Ialso preferably provide the open side 6 with an inclined surface as shown, the crosssectional area of the spike member 5 being less at the outer end 12 than at the inner en 13.

In this form the spike member 5 is dropped or screwed into the hole 3 and the screw spike 7 is then inserted and screwed by turning the angular head 14 of the screw spike, which willcause the screw threads 11 to bite into that portion of the wall of the hole which is not covered by the spike member 5, and at the-same time they will coact with the spike member and give a powerful expansion. This expansion serves to compress and preserve both portions of the wall of the hole, that in contact with the spike member 5, as Well as that in contact with the screw spike. Not only will this expansion give a powerful grip in the tie 2, and serve to make the tie and the rail 1 actas one member, but this expansionalso, in addition to the above function, tends to prevent moisture working into the hole and thereby further preserves the life of the tie.-

The hole 3 is preferably bored at an angle to the face 4: of the tie to permit the head 14 of the spike member contacting directly with the incline flange 16' of the" T-r'ail 1.

It will, therefore, be seen that in my invention only a comparatively small portion of the wall of the'hole 3 is subjected to the action of the screw threads 11 on the screw spike'T, while the greater part of the wall at the hole receives a powerful frictional side thrust by the lateralmovement of the spike member. ()11 the exterior of'my spike member 5 I arrange projections 17 in. the form of interrupted male scre\\'-threa ls. These threads permit the spi-ke-uneniber to be screwed into a new or old hole in the tie by a suitable tool, engaging the flange or head 14" of the spike member. They also serve, to. prevent withdrawal of the spike member and by gripping the fiber of the tie and becoming embedded in it add greatly to the: permanency of the fastening.

When screwed into the old or new hole in an old or new tie the flange or head ll is rotated until it'is brought firmly into contact with the flange 16 of'the rail 1. This action alone will serve to hold the rail 1 tothe tie 2 more or less firmly. however, is perfected'and rendered permanent and lasting by screwing in the screw spike 7 so that its screwt-hreads 1-1 will partly engage the interrupted screwth-reads 10 in the open side 6 of the spike member 5 and also engage directly with the wood of the tie 2, its head 23 being preferably brought into engagement with the flange or lread'lat of the spike member.

In this form my rail tie expansion con sists' of two rotatable members, each of which serves to directly hold the rail to the tie and, to make the two'act as one. Of course, in some instances the spike member may be dropped into the hole should the hole he too large for'itto be screwed in.

In this form of'my' invention as well as in my other forms illustrated, described and claimed in the parent application above referred to, my rail tie expansion has a greater bearing in the tie than is obtained either by the screw spike or thedrive spike; This insures a greater distribution of the strain of the rolling load throughout the fiber of the wood and accordingly less deterioration of the tie; \Vhile the screw spike isconsidered inpractice preferable to the drive spike its threads cut up the fiber of the wood and cause it to deteriorate at a much earlier date than if they had not been so out, By myinvention when a screw spike is used-,1 insure that it will only partially cut up the fib'er of the wood; and thisdamage is largely overcome by the tremendous'ex pansion and compression to which the wood in engagement with the screw spike is subjected.

It is further observed that the greatest displacement' of the Wood is at the extreme inner end of the ho'le'which forces a larger aperture at' that'end than at the mouth of the hole. This causes a dovetail effect which increases the holdingeapaeity of my fastening over-other forms'of drive'spikes and screw sp'ikes'whichenter or create parallel bores.

In old: ties my invention is equally applicable.

This held:

In such anold tie, in which thespike hole has been so enlarged by constant spiking and respiking, and rotting and tear- I ing of the fiber of the wood, in the hole that, under the present practice would necessitate the tie being discarded as unserviceable and absolutely dangerous,my rail tie expansion will permit this old'tie to remain in its position in the road bed, without the delay and labor of removing it and the insertion of a new tie, besides by my invention I save the cost of anew tie.

In such an old tie my spike member 5, may be dropped or screwed into the old hole and then the old or a new spike may be used to obtain the requisite expansion and compression of the fiber of the tie. Preferably, in such an old hole, I would use a spike member and a screw spike. If the form shown in Fig. 1, for example, be used, in the old hole by screwing up on the head 14 of the screw spike 7, a powerful expansion would be obtained and one which would so compress the old fiber in contact with the spike member 5 that it wvould practically give new life to that portion of the wall of the hole, and at the same time the reaction from this compression would cause the male threads 11 upon the screw spike 7 to bite powerfully into the other portion of the wall of the hole and into that portion of the wood of the tie which has not rotted or otherwise been rendered unserviceable.

It is, therefore, clear that with my invention a new tie, whether treated or untreated with a preservative, can be kept in the road bed until the fiber throughout the tie deteriorates to such a state as to render it unserviceable for further use instead of discarding it for a local deterioration due, under the present practice, to driving and redriving drive spikes, or positioning or repositioning screw spikes. This is particularly desirable in comparatively expensive ties treated with a preservative .which for merly had to be discarded even though they had suffered only local deterioration where the spikes had been used.

It is customary on curves to use rail braces. One form of brace I have shown at 19, Fig. 3. This brace has a strengthening rib 20, and a flange 21 to lie adjacent to the flange 16 of the rail 1.

The tremendous lateral strains which are thrown on the rail braces 19 are transmitted to the tie 2 in the manner I have previously described by the head 14 of the spike member contacting directly with the inclined surface 22 of the rail brace 19. While I have shown a rail brace cooperating .with two of my rail tie expansions it is of course to be understood that any number may be used.

Cross reference is made in this application to my co-pending application for rail tie expansion filed December 19, 1916, Ser. No. 187 ,7 59, in which the combination of a rail tie spike member having a flange to en-' gage with the flange of a rail and having an open side to permit a rail spiketo engage directly with the rail tie spike member and with the rail tie, and a rail spike having a head engaging with the flange of a rail tie spike member is claimed. Also in that application the combination is claimed of a rail tie spike member having a flange to engage with the flange of a rail and having an open side to permit a rail screw spike to engage directly with the rail tie spike member and with the rail tie, and a rail screw spike having a head engaging .with the flange of the rail tie spike member.

Having thus described this invention in connection with an illustrative embodiment thereof to the details of which I do not desire to be limited except as required by the scope of the claims what is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. A rail tie expansion comprising the combination of a rotative spike member having an open side, said spike member being adapted to be screwed or dropped into a hole in a rail tie, and a screw spike adapted to cooperate with said spike member by being mounted in the same hole in the rail tie, the threads of the screw spike engaging both with the spike member and a portion of the surface of the hole in the rail tie.

2. A rail tie expansion comprising the combination of a rail tie spike and a rail tie spike member having an open side to permit the rail spike to engage directly .with the open side of the spike member and with the rail tie, said spike member being provided on its exterior with interrupted screwthreads.

3. A rail tie expansion comprising the combination of a rail tie screw spike and a rail tie spike member having an open screw threaded side to permit the rail screw spike to engage directly with the open side of the spike member and .with the rail tie, said spike member being provided on its exterior with interrupted screwthreads.

tfA rail tie expansion comprising the combination of a rail tie spike and a rail tie spike member provided with a tool engaging flange and provided with an open side to permit the rail spike to engage directly with the open side of the spike member and with the rail tie, and with exterior interrupted screw threads.

5. A rail tie spike member having an open side and an inclined screwthreaded interior surface and provided with projections in the form of interrupted screwthreads on its exterior.

G. A rail tie spik member having an open side and an inclined screwthreaded interior surface and provided with projections in the form of mterrupted screwthreads on its exterior and a head '01" flange'adapted to which can bmplacedmnd: replaced and adbe-aragainst a rail, justed from onwsideof the tie.

7. A railtie expansion comprising" the Y combingtionpf it spike 1ne1nbe1 having-an: PLEISTER' 5 open slde and. an inchn ed scrpwthrade'd htn'esses:

interlor surface and provldecl'wvlth. exterior A; M.- W LL1AMs, interrupted screwthreads, and" a screw'splke R. RYAN;

Copies ofthispatent may be obtained for five cent each;- by addressingwthe Commissioner of Patent; Wmhingtomfilfi." 

